Casualties mount in Istanbul attacks
Two huge explosions rocked the Turkish city of Istanbul today killing at least 26 people and injuring more than 400.
The attacks occurred just days after 23 people were killed in two synagogue bombings.
One of the blasts appears to have damaged the British consulate, while another reportedly destroyed parts of the city’s 15-storey HSBC bank headquarters.
The bank’s HQ is located in a busy area, which would have been crowded when the bomb went off at 11:10 Turkish time (09:10 GMT). The consulate explosion occurred two minutes later.
The UK’s top official in Turkey, British Consul-General Roger Short, was among at least 14 people killed in the attack on the consulate, its chaplain Ian Sherwood said.
A statement from HSBC said: “It is with deep regret that we have to confirm that there have been a number of fatalities. Our thoughts are with the bereaved, the injured and their families.
“We are extremely concerned for the safety of our staff.”
A Turkish government spokesman said the attacks were carried out by suicide car bombers. Witnesses reported seeing a van driving straight at the consulate building before the explosion.
Turkey’s premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to “avenge” the attacks, but also called for public calm.
Foreign secretary Jack Straw condemned the attacks as “a clearly appalling act of terrorism” and said three or four people may be missing as a result of the blast at the British consulate.
British Airways earlier cancelled a flight to Istanbul, but has since rescheduled it. The airline is now “considering the situation”.
Al-Qaeda and affiliated groups were blamed for the blasts in Istanbul last weekend. A group said to be linked to Osama bin Laden’s organisation claimed responsibility for the bombings and threatened fresh attacks against the US and its allies.
The Foreign Office has set up a helpline for concerned friends and relatives on 0207 0080000
